Page 20 of Against My Fire

“I can’t believe it. Do you really think that I would do that to you? That I would do anything to harm this ranch? I should have known better. I should have stayed away. Getting involved with someone always ends up breaking me in the end. It’s not worth it.” Her voice cracks as she talks. She squares her shoulders as she wipes the tears from her eyes. “If that is what you believe then there is no point in trying to explain myself. You have made up your mind about some fake photos and some stupid ass rumors the Everton people have told you.” She turns and walks back to her truck. I want to stop her, but I don’t move. She stops as she opens her door. “Tell Taylor I love him and that I am sorry.” She gets in her truck and drives off without another glance at me. I royally fucked up. I just broke her heart, and to tell the truth I don't even think that I believe the photos or that she would help them. But just the thought of getting hurt has me on defense. I will have to fix this or I might lose the love of my life forever.

I spend my morning with Caleb not wanting to see Taylor or Logan for that matter. I didn’t know how to explain to Taylor why Bentley wasn’t going to be there to spend his day with him. Logan offered to watch him as he also didn’t want to see me after the shit show he witnessed between Bentley and me. He was about ready to kill me when she drove off. I have never seen him take to any of my girlfriends as quickly as he did Bentley. Not even Tayna.

It was late afternoon when I went back to the house to find Logan sitting on the porch. He nods as I walk up the stairs with Caleb right behind me. “Where’s Taylor?” I ask as I pull my shirt off.

“Playing in his room. He hasn’t said much the whole day. I reckon he knows something is wrong and that his dad is being a total tool.” Logan doesn’t look at me. I ignore his comment and head inside to go see my son.

“Tay!” I call out but he doesn’t answer me at all. I walk to his room to find it empty. “Taylor!” I yell and that gets the attention of the other two. They run inside as I rush to check every room in the house. “Taylor, come on…” I call out again as I come to a stop in front of Caleb and Logan. “Where is Taylor?”

“He was right here.” Logan motions to Taylor’s room. My heart races out of my chest as I think of everything that could have happened to my little boy. “Phone Bentley, she will want to know and help us look for him.” I nod as Logan runs out the back door to look there.

I pull my phone out and dial Bentley’s number it rings a few times without her answering her phone. “Come on…” I was about to put the phone down when she answers in a groggy voice.

“Hello…”

“Bentley, Taylor is missing.” She gasps and I hear her moving around.

“I’m on my way.” She ends the call and I feel like I might be going crazy. My son is missing and my girlfriend is not talking to me.

“I called some reinforcements. They will be here shortly.” Caleb puts his hand on my shoulder and we both head out to start looking around the house. He couldn’t have gotten far.

We all call out his name as we check the barn, the fireplace, the pool, and the pool house. He was nowhere to be found. I hear Bentley before I see her.

“Jaxon…” She runs up to me and the first thing I do is pull her into my arms and hug her. She is the only one that can calm me right now. I can’t lose my son. Even though I fucked up earlier. Bentley is the only one I need so I save the moment we have with each other. As I pull away from her I see her whole crew with their girls and a few other friends standing here to help us. My eyes land on Carmen and my heart sinks. She can take my son away from me.

Carmen walks over to me and asks Bentley if she can speak to me. Bentley agrees and walks over to Logan. “Carmen, I know how this looks…” She holds up her hand to stop me.

“Jaxon, I know you, and I have seen you with Taylor. This happens. Kids get lost and there is always a reason why it happens. I am here to help find him. Now unless you have abused him or starved him, I am not taking that little boy away from a father that loves him. So let’s go find your son.” She squeezes my arm and I nod at her.

I walk over to the group to explain to them what had happened only to find Logan and Bentley have already done that. Everyone was waiting just for me.

“We need to split up. I say into four groups.” Everyone agrees and we split up with Caleb, Logan, Bentley and I leading the four groups. We know the ranch better than any of the others even though the others have spent summer holidays here.

“We will head to all the favorite spots Taylor and I went to,” Bentley states as she gathers her group. We all make sure that we have a phone with us. Mrs. Richards stays behind to let us know if Taylor shows up at the house.

My group headed out to all the picnic spots that are close to the house. “Taylor!!” I call out once more as we walk to search for him. Logan’s group is checking the lake and the waterhole. I don’t want to think that he has gone there. He knows that the water is dangerous, but his attention might have been on something else and that could have led to him falling into the water.

We walk around for ages or that is how it feels to me and with each passing second my heart feels more and more like it will explode. My mind is racing with the thoughts of where my son can be. There are snakes and cliffs and water. He could be laying somewhere hurt or worse dead. How did he slip out without Logan seeing him? Does he know that Bentley and I had a disagreement?

I will make everything right if only I could find my son. “You know that he heard you and Bentley fighting.” Luke pipes in as we walk.

“He wasn’t there.” I throw back. I hope he wasn’t there. If he was, does Bentley know? She will be blaming herself for this.

“Listen, I am not judging or telling you what to do but listen to her. She isn’t with Patrick. He is a lowlife asshole.” Luke says as we walk further. I stop when I hear the faintest sniffle.

“Shhh…. Do you guys hear that?” Everyone stops and falls silent as we try to listen. I hear it again. “Taylor!” I call out and his soft little voice answers me.

“Daddy?” He yells and I run over to the small shed by the picnic area. I open the door to see Taylor sitting on the ground with his knees pulled up to his chest. “I don’t want Ley to leave. I love her and you do too.” He hides his face on his knees and I lean down to pick him up. He lays his head on my shoulder and I kiss his temple.

“I will make things right with her. Daddy promise.” I hold my son against my chest as Luke and Nick take out their phones to let the others know that we have found him. “Why did you run away?”

He pulls away from me and looks at me with those big green eyes of his. “You and Bentley were fighting and then she left and you didn’t stop her. I don’t want her to leave. You have to ask her to stay.” My son is more mature than I am. I shouldn’t have let her leave, but I did. I will have to make this right. For all of us.

Chapter Nineteen

? Bentley ?

I fell asleep after I got home and when my phone woke me up, I didn’t hesitate to answer even though I was upset with Jaxon, I won’t ignore him. When he told me that Taylor was gone, my whole world shattered. I never thought that I could love someone that much and then lose them. The fear in Jaxon’s voice broke my heart and I want to be there with him. I wanted to comfort him.

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